Tamperproof reclosable sliding panel display blister package

ABSTRACT

An integral folded panel component secured to a transparent blister enclosure includes a slidable folded front portion secured between a fixed back panel portion and the blister enclosure, the folded portion being slidable to expose a discharge port in the back panel.

United States Patent Leonard Seeley Palatine, lll.

Nov. 1 0, 1969 Oct. 5, 1971 Plastofilm Industries, Inc.

Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee TAMPERPROOF RECLOSABLE SLIDING PANEL DISPLAY BLISTER PACKAGE 1 Claim, 7 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 206/44.12, 206/42, 206/78 B, 229/11 Int. Cl B65d 83/04, B65d 79/00 Field of Search 206/78 B,

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 3,367,491 2/1968 Dunham et al. 206/78 B 3,289,831 12/1966 Keating 206/78 B FOREIGN PATENTS 1,574,108 7/1969 France 206/78 B Primary Examiner-Leonard Summer AltarneyDarbo, Robertson & Vandenburgh ABSTRACT: An integral folded panel component secured to a transparent blister enclosure includes a slidable folded front portion secured between a fixed back panel portion and the blister enclosure, the folded portion being slidable to expose a discharge port in the back panel.

PATENTED'UN 5 I97! SHEET 2 UF 2 INVENTOR LEONARD SEELEY yflwfv, Attorneys TAMPERPROOF RECLOSABLE SLIDING PANEL DISPLAY BLIS'IER PACKAGE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Blister-type display packages are widely used in the retailing of small objects. Such packages commonly include a substantial display tab portion at the top thereof for the purpose of securing a number of the packages to a retail display device such as a wire hook or the like. These large tabs, or panels serve also for informational and advertising purposes.

Though packages having sliding panels which expose discharge ports are already known in the art, the heretofore available sliding panel packages suffered from any one of a number, or from a combination, of shortcomings. For example, the sliding panels are readily severed from some packages. In the event that a sliding panel is inadvertently disconnected from a package, the package discharge port becomes permanently open. Furthermore, virtually all of the sliding panel packages suffer from the shortcoming of being difficult to manufacture. It would be highly desirable to provide a sliding panel blister display package which utilizes a sliding panel which is well secured to the package, and which does not lend itself to inadvertent removal therefrom. It would be highly desirable to provide the art with a sliding panel package which is very easy to manufacture.

It would also be highly desirable to provide a reclosable display package which is tamperproof in the sense that a customer, by looking at the package, can assure himself that the package has not been broken into or otherwise tampered with.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a blister display package having a blister and a folded panel component, the blister being secured to the rear portion of the folded panel component, and a front, folded-over portion of the panel component being slidably positioned between the blister and the fixed portion of the panel component. A portion of the folded panel component extends well beyond the blister, and the fold line constitutes the edge of the extended portion.

DESIGNATION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an improved package of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional elevational view taken approximately along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional elevational view taken approximately along the line 3--3 ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view illustrating the beginning of the package-opening sequence.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the configuration obtained approximately halfway through the package-opening sequence.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the back side of the package showing the configuration obtained when the sliding panel is at the inward extreme, i.e., in closed position.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the back of the package configuration obtained when the sliding panel is near the outward extreme, in open position, illustrating the clearance of the discharge port by the sliding panel.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Blister display package, generally 15, includes panel component 17, 17, and blister-enclosure component 19, 19.

Panel component 17 is folded over along cut-score, or fold line 21 which defines two major portions of panel component 17, namely a stationary, or back panel portion 23, and a front, or working panel portion 25. The embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 7 includes half moon access cutouts 26 in stationary panel portion 23, and creases 27, 29 in stationary panel portion 23 and working panel portion 25, respectively. It is noted that in the preferred, illustrated embodiment in which creases 27, 29 are utilized, the distance between fold line 21 and crease 29 is substantially greater than the distance between fold 21 and crease 27. The reason for this will be explained hereinafter. Working panel 25 includes elongated, narrow slide panel portion 31. Hole 33 is punched through entire panel component 17 for hanging display package 15 over a hook, for example. A removable portion 32 of back panel 23 is defined by a perforated line 32a to provide port 34 upon its severance from panel 23, as illustrated in FIG. 7. Means for fixing panel component 17 to blister-enclosure component 19 will be discussed following the description of blister component l9.

Blister-enclosure component 19 is preferably manufactured from transparent thermoplastic film by conventional vacuum thermoforming techniques. In the illustrated embodiment enclosure component 19 includes face portion 35, 35' having dependent skirts 37 peripherally dependent therefrom. At the lower extreme of dependent skirts 37 are outwardly extending platforms 39, 39' respectively. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 7, platforms 39 extend outwardly from all of the dependent skirts 37. However in that embodiment skirts 41 depend from platforms 39 only at the lateral extremes and bottom extremes of the enclosure portion 19. Dependent skirts 41 are relatively shallow, but ofsufficient height to permit easy passage of slide panel portion 31 under platforms 39. Peripheral planar member 43 extends outwardly from the bottom of dependent skirts 41 and the blister-enclosure 19 is secured to panel component 17 by means of planar member 43. Face 35, skirts 37, and panel component 19 define enclosed region 44.

It is preferred that the entire front surface 46 of stationary panel 23 be coated with normally nontacky thermoplastic material, and that planar member 43 be secured to stationary portion 23 by thermally integrating the thermoplastic coating and planar member 43. In such an embodiment the entire lower face 48 of planar member 43 of blister 19 is attached or fixed to the opposed front face 46 of the stationary portion 23 of panel component 17.

In regard to the use, or operation of the package illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 7 in the accompanying drawings, the user can initiate the withdrawal of sliding panel 31, as illustrated in FIG. 4, by bending rearwardly the extending tab portion 51 which, generally speaking, includes the entire portion of the panel component 17 extending beyond blister-enclosure 19. This bending action causes crease 27 to serve as a hinge. Flexing likewise causes crease 29 to serve as a-hinge. To facilitate the initial flexing, the user can push tab front portion 51 away from back panel portion 23, as illustrated in FIG. 4, by passing thumb 53 through semicircular cutout portion 26. The fact that the distance from cut-score 21 to crease 27 is shorter than the distance between score 21 and crease 29 causes tab front section 51 between score 21 and crease 29 to act as a lever drawing sliding panel portion 31 outwardly. The newly exposed portion 56 of sliding panel 31 will be flexed forwardly, as illustrated in FIG. 5. The forward flexing of panel 31 causes panel 31 to bear against the underside of that portion of platform 39 laying above panel 31. Because of this, upon release of tab portion 51, package 15 will remain in the configuration illustrated in FIG. 5. When package 15 is in this-configuration, the user may place a thumb against extended portion 56and fingers against score 21 and slide panel 31 into the configuration illustrated in FIG. 7 in which panel 31. has been moved sufficiently to expose port 34.

As sliding portion 31 moves in and out of the enclosure 44 it is retained under platform 39 and between dependent skirts 41, the combination of lateral platforms 39 and lateral skirts 31 provide guide means to facilitate proper movement of panel 31 and maintain panel 31 securely in position against front face 48 of back panel portion 23. Bottom platform 39, holds panel 31 against back panel portion 23 when panel 31 is in fully closed position, e.g., as illustrated in FIG. 3. This virtually eliminates the likelihood that small articles be inadver- Because of the "memory" of the creases and score lines 27, 29, 21, there will be a slight tendency for front panel 31 to be returned to within enclosure 44 after its extension to the permissible extreme in the open position. However inasmuch as flexing of front panel 31 and back panel portion 23 must take place, and inasmuch as this flexing is accompanied by generation of pressure between sliding panel 31 and upper platform 39, the spontaneous inward sliding of panel 31 is arrested, e.g., in the configuration illustrated at FIG. 7. Thereafter, pressing along scoreline 29 readily overcomes resistance due to flexing, and due to the panel skirt pressure referred to above, and returns panel 31 to a position within enclosure 44, in which position panel 31 completely blocks port 34.

Prior to purchase of an item packaged within package of this invention, the potential customer may partially withdraw panel 31 or completely slide panel 31 to the position illustrated in FIG. 7. However while knockout portion 32 remains in place the package remains essentially sealed. It is not until knockout portion 32 is removed from back panel portion 23 that port 34 is exposed, and the contents (not shown) within region 44 become accessible. Thus, a potential customer, upon inspecting back panel 23, and upon finding knockout panel 32 securely in place, can rest assured that the product has not been tampered with or pilfered and that it remains in factory-packaged condition. After knockout panel 32 is removed, however, sliding of panel 31 to a position clearing port 34 permits convenient removal of articles (not shown) from within enclosure 44 of package 15. Thereafter, inward sliding of panel 31 permits reclosure of the package, in which condition the package may be conveniently stored, e.g., on a peg in the home workshop, with its contents readily visible and readily accessible.

GENERAL DISCUSSION Panel component 17 is manufactured from a stiffly flexible material, preferably folding stock board, or folding or nonfolding chipboard. Wherever folds or creases are shown, the adjacent sections can be severed and pivotally integrated by a strip of flexible tape secured therebetween.

It is preferred that both creases 27, 29 be utilized, in accordance with this invention, and it is preferred that they be positioned in the relationship described hereinbefore.

The length of movement of sliding panel portion 31 will be approximately twice the difference between the distance between score 21 and crease 29 and the distance between score 21 and crease 27. If port 34 is relatively narrow, and is positioned near the bottom end 65 of the package 15, panel 31 need slide only a relatively short distance to completely expose port 34. In such a case score line 29 may be located only a short distance further from crease 21 than is score line 27. As a general rule it is desirable to provide a relatively large port 34 since this permits the user to reach through port 34 and select particular articles (not shown) residing within enclosure 44.

Thus, once closure member 32 has been removed from back panel 23, it is preferable to reopen package 15 by holding package 15 with port 34 facing upward, flexing tab 51 upward with the thumb of one hand and drawing exposed portion 56 of panel 51 outwardly with the fingers. In this manner contents of enclosure 34 become visible through port 34 and can be individually selected and removed therethrough. Port 34 is again conveniently closed by simply pressing the fingers against score line 29 to bring sliding portion 31 back within enclosure 44.

Likewise, even though it is preferred that sliding panel 31 extend completely through enclosure 34 when in the closed" configuration illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 6, it is not essential that sliding panel 31 do so. Thus sliding panel 31 may be abbreviated to extend only to the point A as illustrated in FIG. 3, i.e., to extend just beyond the lower edge of port 34 when panel 31 is in closed position. It is then desirable that the difference between the distance between crease 29 and score 21 and the distance between crease 27 and score 21 be not more than half the distance between the lines marked A and B which represent the distance from the end of a panel 31 when in the closed position to the outermost point B which the panel can slide and still remain secured under platform 39.

I claim:

1. A reclosable blister package including a blister and a panel component, in which package the blister comprises an enclosure portion having a top, bottom, and sides, and includes platforms extending laterally from said sides thereof and skirts dependent from said platforms, said skirts being linear and parallel to each other, the panel component being a unitary, folded, stiffly flexible member folded along a fold line to provide a back panel portion on one side of the fold line and a sliding panel portion on the other side of the fold line, said back panel portion having blister access opening means, said blister being secured to said back panel portion at the bottom and sides thereof and forming a mouth between the blister and panel component at the top of the blister, said sliding panel portion being folded against said back panel portion and extending into the blister enclosure through said mouth to cover said access opening means, said panel component including a tab portion extending a substantial distance beyond the top of said blister and terminating at said fold line, said extended tab portion of the back panel portion having a hinge crease line extending perpendicularly across the entire width thereof and said tab portion of the sliding panel portion having a hinge crease line extending perpendicularly across the entire width thereof, the distance between the crease line in the back panel portion and the fold line being less than the distance between the crease line in the sliding panel portion and the fold line.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 a 410 Dated October 5 1971 lnventofls) Leonard Seeley It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

General Discussion Column 3, lines 42 thru 47 after "hereinbeforel' insert Inasmuch as the creases are offset with respect to each other, the preferred configuration virtually eliminates the tendency for tab portion 51 to assume a "bent" configuration. The bent configuration is very undesirable inasmuch as the tab portion 51, which usually contains advertising or other valuable copy becomes less visible.

Signed and sealed this 31d day of May 1972.

(SEALE Atteszs:

EDWABB I-LFLEECHER, JR. ROBERT GOTTSGHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents ORM FLU-1050 (10-691 USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 U S GOVERNMINT PRFNHNG OFFiCE X969 0-366334 

1. A reclosable blister package including a blister and a panel component, in which package the blister comprises an enclosure portion having a top, bottom, and sides, and includes platforms extending laterally from said sides thereof and skirts dependent from said platforms, said skirts being linear and parallel to each other, the panel component being a unitary, folded, stiffly flexible member folded along a fold line to provide a back panel portion on one side of the fold line and a sliding panel portion on the other side of the fold line, said back panel portion having blister access opening means, said blister being secured to said back panel portion at the bottom and sides thereof and forming a mouth between the blister and panel component at the top of the blister, said sliding panel portion being folded against said back panel portion and extending into the blister enclosure through said mouth to cover said access opening means, said panel component including a tab portion extending a substantial distance beyond the top of said blister and terminating at said fold line, said extended tab portion of the back panel portion having a hinge crease line extending perpendicularly across the entire width thereof and said tab portion of the sliding panel portion having a hinge crease line extending perpendicularly across the entire width thereof, the distance between the crease line in the back panel portion and the fold line being less than the distance between the crease line in the sliding panel portion and the fold line. 